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On the Friday before Halloween, seventh graders at Flint Hill School in Oakton, Virginia, presented a unique school project: a Halloween costume for a special little girl. The students teamed up with Magic Wheelchair, a nonprofit organization that builds costumes for children in wheelchairs, to make nine-year-old Judy Agricola’s Halloween wish a reality. According to a news release shared by the school, Judy suffers from CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder, a rare genetic disorder that requires her to be in a wheelchair....

As Thanksgiving approaches, many of us are also thinking about preparations for Christmas. It only happens once a year, but when the time arrives, it can bring more merriment and memory-making than the rest of the seasons combined. The holidays often include a visit to a Christmas tree farm, and what you learned on your last trip might now be just a vague memory, so it’s time to brush up and take notes so you can make the most of your visit....

Chocolate chip cookies, especially homemade ones, don’t last long in my house. But if by some miracle, a batch of cookies lasts two or even three days, I still want them to taste as soft and chewy as they did when I pulled them out of the oven. There are two tricks to keeping cookies soft, and they are so simple and obvious you might be doing them already, but hear me out: don’t overbake your cookies and store them in an airtight container....

Wouldn’t it be lovely if we could keep our favorite flowers alive forever? Maybe it’s a bouquet from your best friend’s wedding or an arrangement sent by someone special—it’s preserving not only the beautiful blooms but also the beloved memories behind them. An easy and popular way to save sentimental flowers is to dry them. (Hang them upside down in a cool, dark place like a closet for a few weeks until dry....

I’m usually a pen-and-paper kind of gal. I have a million planners and journals filled with scribbled notes I quickly lose. But lately, I cannot seem to separate myself from my Google calendar. That little app holds my whole world—social engagements, client meetings, doctor appointments, you name it. With all this planning, it’s easy to get bogged down by the weight of obligations. So, I bought a monthly calendar to remind myself of the fun things coming up on my schedule, and now I’m convinced you should too....

After Louisiana’s record-breaking 60-foot alligator float made its sparkling debut at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, the Bayou State is ready for the national stage once again. On New Year’s Day, Louisiana will make its premiere in the 133th Rose Parade with the “Feed Your Soul” float. Louisiana will be the only state with a float in the legendary Pasadena, California parade. The float’s design depicts the rich culture and revelry of the state that’s home the country’s biggest parade season....

There’s nothing like getting lost in a good book. Under normal circumstances, books can offer a welcome break from reality, but when life throws an unexpected curveball like a cancer diagnosis, books become so much more. They’re a lifeline, a comfort, and a much-needed escape. A lifelong bibliophile, 18-year-old Emily Bhatnagar of Gaithersburg, Maryland, has always loved reading. But when her father was diagnosed with stage four thyroid cancer in October of 2019, she discovered just how powerful they could be....

Let’s be honest—our white walls are starting to feel a little boring. After spending much more time living, working, and playing inside our homes, we’re ready to perk up our blah backgrounds with invigorating paint colors. Lately, earth tones have surged in popularity among homeowners (especially sage green shades), with tranquil hues from Mother Nature transforming the look and feel of interiors. Others looked to tropical citrus hues to bring a splash of sunny color in their homes....

There’s nothing quite like flying a kite. Whether you’re new to it or have lots of practice with high-flying stunts and sending all the different kinds—sleds, boxes, deltas, compounds, and parafoils—gliding up, up into the air, you’re invited to the South’s kite festivals for music and merriment. Learn more about the outdoor festivals in your area so that you’re ready when windy, blue-sky days arrive. Read on for ten of the South’s favorite kite festivals, then grab your own and take to the skies....

Black-eyed peas were likely introduced to America by African slaves brought to the South to work on rice plantations. Today, they are most commonly served as a side dish, cooked with meat and veggies or served with rice. If you’re not sure how to cook black-eyed peas, here are a few tips for making them come out right: Cook your beans low and slow—a slow cooker is idealAdd a smoked ham hock to your pot....

We’re now in the throes of summer. This means that along with long, lazy days by the pool, comes some intense humidity and roasting temperatures. While you may be content to blast the air conditioning and watch the world go by from your window, there are other ways you can manage the temperature inside your home. Two things we can recommend are to avoid turning on your oven and upgrade those window treatments if you haven’t done so already....

It’s easy to feel welcome in a bookstore, but visitors to Thomasville, Georgia’s The Bookshelf experience something more—they feel completely at home. Upon stepping into the bright, bookshelf-lined space located on downtown Thomasville’s South Broad Street, visitors are charmed. Some will be drawn into the impeccably curated shelves, while others will want to browse the vibrant selection of magazines and literary journals. Still others will settle in near the front of the shop for a game of chess....

When we’re in need of a few new houseplants, we don’t always go to the garden store to find them. Usually, we can find all we need in our own plant collection. That also applies when we’re giving plants to others; the Southern habit of passing along plants to family, friends, and neighbors is a long-lived tradition. When we have a plant we love, we want to share it, and that involves taking cuttings and propagating new growth....

If your idea of a vegetable soup is strictly vegetarian, you might want to stop reading and head over to our Meatless Mains collection. But, if you’re up for a tasty adventure, take a ride with us as we share the secrets to our best ever vegetable soup, Hearty Beef and Freezer Veggie Soup. Start with a Dutch Oven The pot choice is key when making our vegetable soup. Why? Because you’ll need to use it to braise secret ingredient #1....

It accomplishes those crispy edges thanks to its deep aluminum base pan, which catches all of the grease that drips from the nonstick-coated steel rack on top. Because the pan is so deep, hot air is able to circulate throughout the tray, so you don’t have to flip the bacon halfway through the baking process. It’s even designed with divots on all four corners to use as spouts to safely dispose of the cooled grease....

At least 6,000 years before Crisco came on the scene, olive oil was the hottest commodity in a cook’s (and baker’s) cupboard. The unique characteristics of this natural oil allow for a variety of delicious applications, which is why it has not only been used to marinate, sauté, and preserve some of the most delicious foods in the world, but it is also a key component in various cakes and other baked goods (pairing especially well with a rich dark chocolate)....

Owning a dog comes with all kinds of surprising benefits—studies show that dog walking correlates to increased happiness (both the dog’s and the owner’s) and that dogs rush to help their humans in times of distress. But perhaps the greatest benefit of all is the loving relationship you build with your pet. And now, we have even more reason to believe that this love is mutual. Most dog owners have likely experienced your dog pawing at your legs....

Orange juice goes with breakfast like biscuits and jam, and it wasn’t Saturday morning at my grandmother’s house without me bellying up to the kitchen counter while she made a pitcher of “fresh” orange juice from an icy tube of Minute Maid frozen concentrate. At home, my mom bought regular jugs of liquid orange juice, so what was my grandmother’s penchant for preparing her own? Turns out, frozen orange juice concentrate—particularly the beloved Minute Maid variety—became insanely popular in the 1950s and 1960s, when frugal house-making and frozen foods reigned supreme....

Plan AheadBefore you plan out your menus for the week, check the store ads to see what’s on sale. Base your meals on this. If there’s a recipe you’ve been dying to try out but the ingredients are not on sale, just be patient. When menu planning, remember that your leftovers can be incorporated into other meals. Your leftover vegetables can be added to soup, or your leftover grilled chicken can be a delicious salad topper....

Steel Magnolias started as a play before being turned into a movie back in 1989 (and again on the Lifetime network in 2012) was billed as “the funniest movie to make you cry” and it delivers on that promise by doling out tears and laughter in equal measure. The movie revolves Truvy’s Beauty Shop in small town Louisiana, where M’Lynn (Sally Fields) and her daughter Shelby (a pre-Pretty Woman Julia Roberts) get their hair done by Truvy (Dolly Parton) and Arnelle (Daryl Hannah) alongside Clairee (Olympia Dukakis) and Shirley MacLaine’s cantankerous Ouiser....